Salon Series No. 49 on April 6, 2014

Ma and Breathing in Dance and Healing
Guest Artist: Wataru Ohashi

The program will focus on the highest technique in dance, the breath work. Cultivating the best uses of timing, “Ma” in executing breath with movements is the last stage of learning process, and the mastering is essential in order to be a professional performer. While shiatsu healing master will demonstrate Ma in his healing work.

Ticket: $15, $10 (Senior & Student）

Comments from guests attending the Salon Series #49

Ma means space. Ma means nothing. Ma means breath. Sachiyo Ito began her 49th Salon explaining breath techniques used by Kabuki actors to transmit emotions to the audience. After warmly encouraging her Salon audience to inhale, smile, exhale and smile, Ito effectively demonstrated the vital energy areas of the body: hara – lower abdomen, diaphragm and throat. In her first dance, Ito performed a Kabuki segment said to be performed using just one full breath. The short dance was an active flurry of movement as the character portrayed brandishing a sword, hiding and re-appearing. In her second dance sequence, an Okinawan traditional dance, the tempo was quite slow and controlled with strong level changes, abrupt arm and head moves, and direct placements of the feet. The kimono sleeves were used to express longing and connection. – Dalienne Majors